How do you follow Jesus?

Parents, How Do You Follow Jesus?

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I can’t believe I’m nearing my 20th episode of my “new” Stand Firm Parents Podcast. Like with this blog I’m trying to help families have a faith that lasts. In this first round of episodes, I focused on what I believe is the number one way to have our children have a faith that lasts—help them have a bigger story within Christianity.

I’ve written about that here as well.

When we say, “help them have a bigger story”, we’re not saying we must fabricate anything or add to Christianity. Rather it is moving towards a more original expression of our faith. It’s a returning to the original call of the disciples.

Jesus asked them to follow Him. That’s what we’re invited to do as well.

Somewhere along the way we’ve made Christianity static, but it’s meant to be dynamic. We’re to follow. To seek. To listen. Then obey. And then repeat. When we do so the story of Christianity becomes bigger.

This is what our children need, but it must start with us. It all starts with us. We’re to expose our children to following Christ and then help them experience it themselves.

So, the question then should be—how do you follow Jesus?

For the disciples it was easy in that they could physically see Jesus. They could physically follow Him. They could go when He went and stop when He stopped. We don’t have that luxury to follow Him in the same manner, yet we’re called to do so.

So, how do we?

In John 14-16, Jesus told the disciples that they would be able to follow Him better after He ascended to Heaven and sent them Holy Spirit to indwell them. Therefore, ultimately, we follow through the indwelling and impact of Holy Spirit in our lives, but still how do we practically follow Jesus.

I was challenged to write a “formula” for what being a faithful follower of Christ would be. I took the challenge. The first line of that formula is to “seek [God] constantly”. For we can’t follow if we don’t seek Him. When teaching new followers of Christ this principle of seeking constantly, I share from three passages.

I want to share them with you. No commentary. No explanation. Just three passages and one question, but I share this because the best thing we can do for our children is to actively follow Jesus, therefore let’s get practical about how to do so.

I share this because the best thing we can do for our children is to actively follow Jesus Click To Tweet

The three verses and one question…

  1. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 –

pray continually.

2. Matthew 6:25-34 –

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

  1. James 4:8 –

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Ok, those are the verses. Now the question: What do these passages teach us about following Jesus?

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